Re: I'm still young to the game... why do you have to hold the ball...

Quote:

Originally Posted by iamgine

It's just in NBA culture, it's seen as disrespectful.

I understand that's the reasoning. I'm saying, why is that the reasoning. Why and how did that somehow become established in the manner with which it did? I think it's a ridiculous unwritten rule and I'm often pleased when I see players fight such a preposterous concept.

Again, I'm not saying the floodgates should be open to players on winning teams yelling in opponent's faces, break dancing on the court, or grabbing a microphone with 15 seconds left and declaring, "These guys all suck." But a meaningless end-of-game bucket should have absolutely no repercussion. If nothing else, it's something for the fans, who again, are paying to see things like that.

It sort of reminds me of an incident a year or two ago when the Mavericks were winning by 10 or so with 20 seconds left. Their opponent was pressing the length of the floor, pressuring Dallas' point guard and really making him work. To assist, Brian Cardinal stepped up and set a screen on the defender. The opposition drew huge issue with Cardinal's play because they claimed the game was already decided.

Again, I understand it's part of the culture, I just think it's a terrible part of the culture and nearly makes zero sense, particularly in Lillard's case where he just put it in with two hands and pretty much ran up the floor with his head down.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZenMaster

Playing and showing off until the final buzzer was replaced with good sportsmanship.

I'd tell my guys to foul hard if they had the chance in a situation like that if they want to, I also tell my guys to hold the ball when we have secured the win unless we play someone who we want to piss off, say a team who has been playing particularly dirty or a team who has tried to score in the same situation vs us.

To me, good sportsmanship is taking it easy on a team who clearly cannot compete (I mean, taking it easy after you've already established a healthy win, not taking it easy from the start). For instance, I coached a seventh grade team who had absolutely no ability to break one team's full court press. That team was up by 20+ early in the second half (which is more significant than it sounds when considering our middle school played six minute quarters). Even after I'd emptied my bench, the opposing coach insisted upon pressuring full-court for the remainder of the game. I found that to possibly be poor sportsmanship.

I also played against a squad in high school who built a big lead on us and in an effort to get a jam, an opposing player laid down in the backcourt out of sight so after we'd missed a shot, he could pop back up, catch an outlet, and attempt a dunk (he missed). I found that to be relatively poor sportsmanship, because of the whole laying down thing.

On the flip side, I've been part of a game where we were done for, down by 15+ late in the fourth quarter. We didn't give up. Nor did the other team. They forced a turnover and one of their players broke away for a power slam. Their crowd went nuts. Dude just earned himself a solid slam. I found absolutely nothing wrong with that, even when he could have easily held up and refused to shoot.

Basically, I think there's being a jerk and there's just playing until the final buzzer. Even if an opponent had a breakaway windmill against my squad after we were already down 25 with 10 seconds left, as long as he doesn't flex in front of my bench, grab his nuts, or laugh in every one of our faces, it's just him playing basketball. I won't like that we're getting slammed on, but I understand it.

In my opinion, it'd be unnecessarily fouling hard in a late game situation that'd be the poor sportsmanship, particularly if the offensive team is merely attempting to play through the final buzzer and not actively attempting to humiliate their opponent.